The Entrepreneurship program was one of the many new ‘signature programs’ introduced this year, with the goal of giving students the opportunity of expanding their business knowledge through the innovation of their own ideas.

To simulate a real-world business scenario, students were recently divided into groups in which they used their ideas to develop their own product. They then proceeded to market to the Bullis community and beyond.

“The goal is to teach the students how to build real business models, and learn about things like cost structures, revenue streams, and interacting with customers,” Entrepreneurship Coordinator Marc Steren explained. “By making their own product, they will function as a real business.”

The six groups came up with the following products:

Pic² (Alec Fink, Brandon Kay, Mika Liu, Anderson Folsom)

A social media app that allows a user to place a picture with a general idea on a blank canvas. Other users can add their own photos that match the concept of the original canvas, creating a collage. The app aims to connect users across the globe with photo collages, and give them the ability to like/comment photos, as well as search for collages.

Noti (Andrew Oglander, Dana Martin, Matt Hansan, Paul Mavrikes)

Ever wanted to connect with any friends who may be at the same live event as you, but find it difficult to do so? Noti fixes this common problem, by giving users the ability to find out which friends are at the same event:

“We feel that we are fulfilling a necessary social need, by connecting friends at social events,” stated Paul Mavrikes (’14).

It is often hard for teachers to maximize the learning experience for students with learning disabilities. Helping Hands is a mobile application and website that aims to enhance the learning experience for students with disabilities by allowing teachers to easily supervise the student’s progress:

“We are helping kids with learning disabilities by monitoring their progress sequentially each day, to track their improvement,” explained Rob Trone (’14).

Anyone who has gone grocery shopping has faced the inevitable frustration of waiting in line for what seems like forever. Check It Out aims to improve users’ shopping experiences by combining all scanned products into one barcode:

“Our goal is to make the grocery shopping experience more efficient. I think it will help a lot of people because it will eliminate long lines at the grocery store, which will make their lives easier,” said Alec Bertero (’14).

The college application process is a hectic and stressful one for high school seniors. Repconnect is an app that allows for high school students to easily contact college representatives, simplifying a major part of the college application process. The app also allows them to keep track of which reps they’ve contacted, and will make interaction more personable.

Toothpaste is a major necessity for everyone, and Toothpaste Tablet is looking to make the process of brushing one’s teeth easier. They plan on making a small sized tablet that can attach to toothbrushes, which will be used as toothpaste when wet. People using the product will not have to deal with the messiness of toothpaste, or worry about using an excessive amount. It will also be extremely practical for younger kids and frequent travelers.

These groups have already taken steps towards developing their product; which has included making logos, Facebook pages, and offering surveys for potential customers to fill out. Groups are also accompanied by ‘mentors,’ who use their experience and knowledge to assist in the development of their group’s product.

By the end of the year, the six teams will present their product to Head of School Dr. Gerald Boarman, Entrepreneurship Coordinator Marc Steren and the numerous program mentors, all of whom will all select the best idea. The winner of the competition will earn $10,000 to spend on the development of their product. Bullis teachers and students alike are excited about this new signature program, and look forward to seeing the outcome of each groups’ work.